Why we started

Exporter Handbook began in 2019 as a shared notes folder between two export operations managers and a trade finance analyst. We were tired of watching small and mid-sized exporters lose deals over paperwork errors, miss payment deadlines because of compliance gaps, and pay consultants for answers that should have been public. The three of us had spent a combined 27 years inside freight forwarders, customs brokerages, and a regional bank's trade desk. We knew the questions because we had answered them on the phone at 11 p.m. before a shipment cutoff.

What started as a 40-page PDF for our own clients became a website when we realized the same five questions kept coming up: which documents are mandatory for a given destination, how to structure payment terms so the bank doesn't reject the draft, what to do when a certificate of origin is challenged, how to handle a discrepancy in a letter of credit, and where to find a reliable customs broker in a new market. We wrote down what we knew, cited the regulations, and published it for free.

What we do

We publish practical guides, checklists, and templates for exporters. Our content covers documentary requirements by country, Incoterms selection, letter of credit mechanics, export compliance screening, and payment risk. Every guide is written by someone who has processed or advised on the transaction type, not by a generalist writer. We update our country pages when regulations change, and we date every revision.

We also run a small advisory practice. When a company needs hands-on help with a specific shipment or a bank rejection, we take on a limited number of engagements per quarter. That work keeps us close to the problems, and it funds the free material.

How we work

We don't accept sponsored content from banks, freight forwarders, or software vendors. Our revenue comes from advisory fees and from paid workshops; we don't sell advertising. If we mention a product or service, it's because we've used it or a client has, and we say so.

Every article goes through a two-person review: one subject-matter expert and one editor who checks the citations. If we're not certain about a requirement, we say so and point to the official source. We correct errors publicly and keep a changelog on each guide.

Who we are

The editorial team is led by Maya Chen, who spent eight years as an export operations manager at a mid-sized equipment manufacturer, and David Okafor, a former trade finance officer at a regional bank. Between them they have handled letters of credit for 34 countries and resolved over 200 documentary discrepancies. Our advisory work is supported by a network of customs brokers and trade attorneys we've worked with for years; we bring them in when a question falls outside our direct experience.

We're based in Chicago and Rotterdam, which means we cover both US and EU export rules. We don't claim to know every market, and we don't pretend to.

What we won't do

We won't tell you that exporting is easy. It isn't. The documentation is tedious, the rules change, and banks can be slow. Our job is to make the process less opaque, not to sell you a shortcut. If a guide doesn't have the answer, tell us and we'll research it.

How to reach us

If you have a question about a guide, a correction, or a situation you're stuck on, email us at editors@exporterhandbook.com. We read everything, though we can't always respond individually.